Yours For Eternity
by AshleighLynn
Summary: The Final Battle with Voldemort has long since ended. Harry Potter left and never came home.... Now Hermione's having nightmares about a cloaked man...a man who will change her destiny forever...
1. Chapter 1

"Every night, it's the same dream. I'm standing in the streets.it's dark, and though there are people all around me, I'm more alone than I have ever been. And then he comes. It's the same shadowy figure, and I can't see him clearly, yet I know he's a male.I've always known.I don't know how.he comes toward me, and then stops abruptly. 'Tell me you love me,' he whispers. The voice is so.familiar.and at the same time the most foreign sound to ever reach my ears.  
'How can I love you,' I whisper back, 'when I don't even know you?'  
And then he laughs, and reaches for me, and his touch is the only thing that changes.sometimes it's malicious.he wants to hurt me.at times it's so soft.almost as if he's inviting me to make love.I'm scared of him.and they're so real.at times I don't know if I'm awake or asleep."  
"When did you say these dreams started, Ms. Granger?"  
"I don't remember exactly, doctor.I'd say after the War.when the Weasley's were murdered.when Harry disappeared." a few tears dropped from Hermione's face.  
Dr. Skanovich handed Hermione a tissue. He always had them ready when he had appointments with her. She'd never gotten over the losses she'd experienced throughout the Final Battle. Voldemort had killed the entire Weasley family and most of her old schoolmates. Her fiancée, Harry Potter, disappeared. Most assumed that Voldemort had finally killed him, though no body was ever found. Dr. Skanovich was convinced that so many losses in such a short span of time, when she was so young (after all the War had begun when she was a mere fifteen years old), triggered most of her nightmares and bouts of depression.  
"Alright, Hermione.that's all the time we have for today. I'll see you same time next week, okay."  
The young woman nodded. Then grabbed her purse and left the office.  
Hermione couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. It had been seven years since Harry had left for the Final Battle. She remembered that day as vividly as if it had occurred only moments ago...  
  
"Harry, don't go." she begged, holding onto his robes, tears streaming down her face. "Stay here with me.we'll leave the Wizarding world and live as Muggles until this is all over."  
"Hermione, you know I have to go." he answered softly, wiping the tears from her face. "Dumbledore needs me.the Ministry needs me. This is my destiny.This is why I lived."  
"So you can give him chance after chance to finish you off?! Harry you're only eighteen.we're engaged.we should be planning our wedding and our lives together."  
"I swear to you that when I come back, after Voldemort has been defeated, I'll be yours for eternity. I don't know how long I'll be gone.but promise you'll wait for me? I don't know if I could keep my will to live unless I knew I had your beautiful face waiting for me when I come home."  
Hermione threw her arms around him and held him tightly. "I love you Harry Potter. And I'll wait for you. I'll wait for you forever."  
  
But the battle had ended after only a few months. Voldemort was killed. And Harry never returned home.  
She had waited for him in their flat for a year and half. Hoping that he'd just been injured, unable to find the strength to come home to her. She waited, and waited and waited. And she soon gave up the hope that her lost love was alive. After that, Hermione exiled herself from the Wizarding world almost completely. Dr. Skanovich and her room mate, Ginny Weasley (the only survivor) were the closest she'd come to her former life of Magic. Ginny, too, had withdrawn from the Magical Community. The girls lived as Muggles in a small apartment in a small country town. They assumed that the rural country was as far as they could get from all things that haunted them. Though she didn't need to work, as Harry's entire fortune had been left to her after they officially pronounced him dead, Hermione chose to save that money.just in case. She and Ginny worked in a small roadhouse bar every night and got along well with their neighbors.  
  
"What'd the doctor have to say?" Ginny asked when Hermione returned home.  
"Same as usual.it's the losses.post traumatic stress.all that bullshit," Hermione grumbled as she dropped onto the couch.  
"What do you think it is?" "I don't know, exactly.but those dreams I keep having.they aren't just dreams or nightmares. They're too real. They mean something.that man.he's real.and they keep getting more and more detailed.it's like he's getting closer." "You don't think it's Voldemort.the spirit of him, anyway, do you?...Is it a Death Eater?" "No.he's too close to me. I can feel it when he's in my dreams.I know him.Sometimes I think it's Harry's ghost, coming to tell me to move on.but there are times when he seems he wants to hurt me.physically, emotionally.and it can't be Harry." "I wish I could help you 'Mione.but I don't know what to say." Ginny sighed, taking her friends hand. "Thanks, Gin," Hermione offered a weak smile. "But I don't know what to say either." 


	2. Chapter 2

"Evening gentlemen. What can I get for ya tonight?" Hermione asked pleasantly as she approached the table. "Hullo 'Mione. We'll take the usual," a plump, jovial man who Hermione knew as one of the roadhouse regulars, replied with a smile. "Three beers then.coming right up." She jotted the order down on her tablet of paper then walked over to the bar. "You alright, Hermione.you look a wreck," the bartender asked as he filled out her order. "Ya, I'm alright, Will.just a bit exhausted is all" She waved it off. "That's good.listen, if um, if you're not doing anything after work tonight, I was wondering if." "Thanks, but no thanks, Will." She blushed as she took the beers from the counter and turned away. "Did Will just ask you out on a date?" Ginny came over as Hermione wiped down a table. "He did in fact.or he tried to anyway," Hermione sighed. "Why didn't you say yes? He's only asked about a thousand and seven times," Ginny replied impatiently. "Gin, you know perfectly well." "No, I don't. Hermione, I know you miss Harry.I know you'll never get over him, but for the love of God don't stop living. Harry, and Dumbledore, and my family died so that we could all keep on living." Ginny explained quietly and quickly. "Harry isn't dead." Hermione's eyes flashed dangerously at her friend. "Alright.maybe he isn't.but he's not here with you.and Will is interested. He's handsome and sweet.and you're being a damn fool." "If Will is so wonderful, why don't you date him?" "Because he wants you." Ginny shook her head and walked away from her friend. Hermione let her eyes travel briefly back to the bar where William was casually flirting with a girl who had just come in. Ginny was right. He was wickedly handsome. He was tall, probably around six foot or so, and lean but with finely sculpted muscles. He was built a lot like Harry. His hair was a light blond and in a shaggy mess around his tanned face. His brown eyes were always full of a mischievous glint, as if he knew something he shouldn't and was dying to tell someone. And he was remarkably sweet-he had given both girls a job and a place to stay without question. But he wasn't Harry.and all Hermione wanted was Harry.  
******************** "Tell me you love me," he whispered. "How can I tell you I love you, when I don't even know you," Hermione replied, her heart pounding so fast she thought it would pop right out of her chest. And he laughed, then reached for her, and for the first time, he touched her. He allowed his fingers to tangle in her soft honey brown curls. "You do know me, Hermione.don't you recognize me?" She went to lift the hood of his robes from his face, but he pulled away. "Let me see you.let me know who you are," she asked softly, her voice trembling. "Take this.wear it always.to protect you." He slipped something around her neck. "Protect me? From what?" She looked down at her gift. A small vial filled with what seemed like blood on a pure silver chain. "What does this mean?" "Don't worry, my love.you'll soon find out."  
  
"HERMIONE! WAKE UP!" The man faded as Hermione heard the shriek of her roommate. "Wha.what's wrong?" "You were shaking and crying.were you dreaming again?" Ginny asked breathlessly, kneeling beside her friend. "Yes.I'm sorry.I didn't mean to wake you.what time is it?" "Almost dawn.come on.let's go get some breakfast." "I'll be right out." "You sure you're okay?" Ginny asked warily. "Yeah, I'm fine." Hermione smiled. "Just let me take a quick shower and get dressed.I'll take you out to breakfast since I woke you up." Ginny nodded then left the room. Hermione waited until the door was shut to let her smile fade. This one had been the most real.he'd touched her.given her something. Hermione quickly put her hands to her neck. She rested her fingers on a silver chain, and dangling between her breasts, was the vial. Filled with blood. 


	3. Chapter 3

"Have you showed anyone else this, 'Mione?" Dr. Skanovich asked quietly, rolling the vial over his palm, examining it closely. "No.I told Ginny I had another nightmare, but, I didn't show her the necklace.I didn't even tell her about it." Hermione let out a sigh and shook her head. "What does it mean?" "Well," the doctor sat down and handed her back her necklace, "what we're looking at is a very ancient form of magic. I haven't heard or seen it used since before the 15th century. According to medieval wizards, if a person, and most of the time it was a woman, wore a vial filled with the blood of someone who loved them more than life, the wearer would be protected from all evil." "All evil?" she asked confusedly. "Vampires, werewolves, even Satan himself if the love was strong enough. Did you see the man's face this time?" "No.I went to lift his hood but he wouldn't let me." "Do you know who he is?" She shook her head sadly. "I want it to be Harry.if he can give me a necklace in the dead of night, then.he'd be alive." "'Mione, listen to me.I know you love and miss Harry very much.but he's gone.he's dead." "THEY NEVER FOUND HIS BODY!" she exclaimed, jumping out of her seat and putting the necklace back around her neck. "Why did you put the necklace back on, Hermione?" he changed the subject quickly. "He told me to wear it always.he said it would protect me." "What do you think you need protected from? Why do you trust him?" "I don't know." "Well..I'd be careful if I were you, Hermione. I don't know anything but what you've told me, however, I have a feeling that there is something Dark involved with all of this."  
********************  
"I can't believe how damn cold it is already," Ginny shivered as she and Hermione walked into the Roadhouse that evening.  
"Agreed.it's only October and it's already snowing a bit," Hermione nodded.  
"That little bit is gonna turn into a blizzard before the night's over.you mark my words," Will nodded, joining their conversation.  
"We're still open tonight, though?" Ginny asked him, tying on her apron.  
"Course we are.you don't think the big guy would let six feet of snow keep him from selling his whiskey and beers, now do you?" Will flashed his signature smile.  
The evening went slowly despite the fact that the bar was packed. Seemed all the locals felt that a drink was the quickest way to warm them up.  
At nearly half past twelve, a man walked into the bar, grabbing everyone's attention. He was tall, and a black hooded cloak hid his face. He quickly walked to the back of the bar and sat a small table in the corner.  
"That's your table.have fun," Ginny grinned at her friend.  
Hermione rolled her eyes then walked over to the man. "What can I get for you?" she asked sweetly.  
"Something warm." he replied, keeping his head down.  
Hermione froze. That voice.  
"What kind of warm." she pressed, hoping to get him to speak again.  
"Coffee.do you have coffee here?"  
He had an English accent. The voice.so familiar, but she couldn't place it.  
"Sure.cream and sugar?" she regained her composure, not wanting to be rude.  
"Black."  
"Coming right up," she agreed. Hermione quickly turned on her heel and headed back to the bar.  
"You alright? You seem a bit spooked," Will furrowed his brow in concern.  
"No.I'm okay," she smiled as she poured the coffee. "Just a bit of déjà vu, that's all."  
"Alright." he bit his lip, not believing her.  
Hermione walked back over and set the coffee down on the table. "Anything else?"  
"No.thank you," he replied quietly. His hands snaked out of the sleeves of the cloak, grasping the cup. His fingers were pale, smooth.  
"You can take your cloak off if you'd like.let it dry out by the fire."  
"Are you wearing the necklace, Hermione?" he asked suddenly.  
She felt her heart leap to her throat. Her legs threatened to give out. She grabbed the chair for support.  
"Who are you?" she choked out quietly.  
"Do you really want to know? Are you ready to know?" he asked in reply. His voice was low, almost challenging.  
"You've haunted my dreams for years.tell me who you are.why me?" she begged.  
He let go of his cup suddenly and drew back his hood. A mop of unruly black hair. Hermione felt tears sting her eyes. He looked up. Emerald green eyes. She put her hand to her mouth. Hermione let her eyes travel to his forehead. It was there. The Scar. It was him. It was really him.  
"Harry," she gasped. And then she fainted on the spot. 


	4. Chapter 4

            Hermione awoke with a start.  She could feel the cold sweat on her face, her clothes sticking to her body.

            "Oh thank God!" Ginny sighed.

            "Where's Harry?!" Hermione sat up and looked around the bar.

            "I'm right here…" he answered gently, pushing through the crowd and kneeling beside her.

            "Is it really you?" She felt her eyes well up again as she raised her hand, and gently touched his cheek.

            "Who else would it be?" he smiled gently.  "Can I take her home?"  He turned his attention to Will and Ginny.

            William, who didn't know who Harry was or why Hermione had fainted, eyed him suspiciously.  Ginny, though just as shocked to see her friend, nodded to him.

            "Let her go with him, Will…she'll be fine," Ginny whispered to the bar tender.

            Harry pulled Hermione to her feet, and when he saw her staggering, quickly looped his arm around her waist to steady her from falling again.

            The snow storm had calmed outside, and the short walk home was an easy one.  Neither spoke.  Hermione was still too weak.  Harry was at a loss for words.  His heart broke being near her again, knowing it wouldn't end the way it should…

            "What happened to you, Harry?" she squeaked after he had dropped her onto her couch in the living room.

            "What do you mean?" he replied, taking her cloak off, then her shoes.

            "After the war…I waited for you…and you never came…and then, the dreams…you know about the dreams…"

            "Yes, I know about the dreams…it was the only way I could come near you…it was the only safe way for me to contact you…being here now isn't safe…unless…are you wearing the vial?" his voice shook.  He couldn't look in her eyes, couldn't look at her face.

            "Yes, but Harry…WHY?" she exploded.  "Tell me what happened to you!"

            Harry closed his eyes, raked his fingers through his perpetually messy raven hair.  "I'm not the same man that left you all those years ago, Hermione…and that's the first thing you need to understand…that even though I look the same, and that my name is still Harry James Potter…my past belongs to another man…for I am only a silhouette of the man that you loved…an image without his soul…

            "When we reached that battle ground, it was…horrifying.  There were corpses all around…wounded wizards…wizards we knew…we were friends with…the first person I saw alive was Colin Creevey…his arms…were…gone…he was half conscious…out of his mind…kept going into fits, seizures…the Death Eaters seemed to work in shifts…and everyday and every night for two months we dueled nonstop with them.. and then we faced Voldemort…and I don't know how it happened, but it happened…Dumbledore…he went after Dumbledore…and I killed him…I used the same curse he used on my parents…on me…on Cedric…and he just crumpled…but I didn't stop there…" tears began to fall from Harry's eyes.  His hands and voice trembled as he relived that dark time.  "I ran over and I took my knife…and I cut out his heart…and I cut his face and his arms and his chest…and then I started screaming the curse again, after I stepped away from him…I pointed my wand at his stinking corpse and I kept screaming it…I don't know why.  'Avada  Kedavra' over and over and over again…I was angry…he killed my mum and dad…he killed Cedric Diggory…he killed Ron…and he killed Dumbledore…he ruined my life…he took EVERYTHING away from me…so I had to kill him…more than once…and so I kept screaming it…and every time that light hit his body, he burned…and I didn't stop until there was nothing left but his bones…and I crushed them…I crushed them with a boulder…until they were just dust…I think I scared the few that were left…they wouldn't come near me.  They all stood there, watching me, not saying a word…and when it was done, I was covered in his blood, his bone dust…I walked away from them.  I had nothing to say.  And neither did they.  I crawled into one of the camp tents, and I just sat there…and I cried.  I had eighteen years worth of anger and hurt and misery lifted off of me at the price of another life.  I always thought his death would make me happy, set me free.  It only dragged me down farther…for I'm no better than he…I'm a murderer.  I killed not only him, but his followers as well…I wanted to die.  I…I slit my wrists…"

            Hermione winced.  Tears were streaming down her face as she silently listened to his tale.  She reached for him but he turned his back to her, flinching at her touch.

            "I slit my wrists," he continued, regaining his composure.  "And as I watched that blood stream over my hands…I thought of you…how could I die and leave you when I'd promised to come back…and I realized what I'd done…I started to scream, and I ran out of the tent…and someone…something grabbed me, and knocked me out…

            "When I woke up, I was in Hogwarts…but we all know Hogwarts now isn't what Hogwarts was…it's desolate, crumbling...gloomy and cold.  I was in what was once the Great Hall, on the steps that led up to the staff table.  The ceiling's still enchanted…it seems to be the only remnant of our old safe haven…and I looked up, and it was night, cloudless, clear, just a full moon and a million stars…and I heard footsteps.  I tried to sit up, but the pain in my head from where I'd been hit blinded me, paralyzed me.  I looked up, and who should be standing there but Draco Malfoy himself…the same cocky smirk, dressed to the nines in his best robes…" Harry's voice turned low and bitter.

            "The sight of him made the rage inside of me rise again, but I couldn't move, my head was throbbing, my vision was turning red as the blood pumped in my ears.  

            " 'Know why you're here, Potter?' he asked smugly.  All I could do was shake my head.  He grinned even wider and lunged at me.  And he sunk his teeth into my neck…and I could feel it…he was sucking my blood, my life out of me…and as I felt myself dying, everything that was ever important to me flashed before me…I saw my parents, Sirius, the Weasleys, you…I saw the best and worst times of my life…and then it stopped.  He dropped me back onto the step.  I was weaker now than before, and I saw him grinning evilly down at me, the slight trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.

            " 'You're almost dead, Potter…but I don't think I'll let you die…just like they didn't let me die,' his eyes flashed as he spoke.  'Do you know what I am, Potter?  Surely you do…you aren't stupid.  Voldemort did this to me.  He made me young and beautiful forever.  I will live until the end of the world.   Do you know why?  Vampires are immortal aside from the sun…and Voldemort was finding a way to get around _that_ barrier as well…before you killed my Master, he had almost found a way to make us creatures of the day as well as the night…a way to make us human and immortal…and then you killed him.  And you thought it was all just going to be a bad memory, didn't you?  You thought you'd run home to your little Mudblood and make little half-breed babies…that's not the way it works, Potter…you'll never see her again after I'm done with you…'

            "He drank from me again…and I knew he was taking me to within an inch of my life…I don't remember much after that…only…I…" he choked up, looked like he was going to be sick. 

            "Harry…" Hermione shook her head, her hand to her mouth.  "Tell me you didn't…you can't be…"

            "I fed from him.  I died, physically…my mind and soul are locked in this corpse forever…"

            "That can't be…it isn't true," she sobbed. 

            "It is true, Hermione…I swear that it is…when I became what I am, I had to stay with Malfoy, join their coven…and they swore to me that they wouldn't harm you as long as I stayed away from you…as long as I never spoke to you again or communicated with you…and I agreed…I didn't want you to be harmed…killed.  But then, a few months after it all, I realized that I was hearing you…I was hearing your thoughts.  I felt your heartbreak and loss, your anger.  I could hear you talking to Ginny Weasley…and it was then that I started sending you the dreams.  I didn't know if it would work at first, but I assumed that if I could hear you…you may be able to hear me.  At first, it was just a way to be intimate with you without putting you in danger…and soon it became an obsession…I couldn't leave you alone, even though I knew it was hurting you…you thought you were crazy…"

            "Why did it sometimes feel like you wanted to hurt me, Harry," her voice was uneasy, shaking.  She was terrified of the man in front of her.  Terrified of the love of her life…

            "Those were the times when I wanted you…I wanted your blood, your life…and I couldn't control it…I went to you and held you.  And I could smell the blood in your body, the fear…and when I realized what I had done, I left you…"

            "Why are you here if you swore to stay away from me…"

            "I left them…the coven began to break apart.  All loyalties were destroyed.  And that's when I sent you the vial.  It's filled with my blood…and as long as you wear it, they can't touch you.  It's old, ancient magic…magic that they hadn't thought of.  They were outraged that I'd been going behind their backs for so long…we fought…and finally…one night…I just left.  And I ended up here.  I followed you to your job, I waited outside, unsure of whether I should come in or not…I was scared to be near you…scared that I'd attack you…"

            "Are you going to attack me, Harry?"  She slowly inched away from him, her eyes wide with terror.

            "No…I'm leaving well before the sun rises…and you'll never see me again.  I'm here to say good bye to you, to tell you to move on with your life…we can never be again,"  he explained gently, tears falling once again.

            Hermione noticed that the tears were blood, and it softened her for some reason.  She slid off the couch and down to him on the floor.  She rested her face in the cradle of his neck, just as she'd done so many times in the past, but he felt different than before.  Harry had always been so warm and soft, smelling of cologne and shaving cream.  He was now hard and cold like marble with no scent at all.  His fingers tangled in her curls as she pressed even closer to him.  

            "Harry…I love you so much…stay with me…" she pleaded, crying into him.

            "Though I love you desperately, you know I can not stay…don't make this harder than it need be…" he slowly lifted her chin with his forefinger.  

            His smooth hands cupped her face, and he brought his lips to hers.  He kissed her deeply, passionately.  Their tongues mingled and she felt his fangs gently bite her lip.

            She felt him pull away from her slowly, and as if it were all another dream, she opened her eyes to find herself completely alone.


End file.
